Jac's roundup of pop culture news and Internet findings

Seeing locals on reality TV
combines two of my favorite things: Cincinnati and trashy television. So I was
elated to hear that A&E’s Neighbors
with Benefits – a new unscripted series following swingers — is set just
north in Warren County. The show will document married couples in a suburban
neighborhood that have open, extra-marital relationships. The show hasn’t even
aired yet (it premieres Sunday, March 22), but it already has reality red
flags, as with many A&E shows filmed in Cincinnati (remember Rowhouse Showdown?).
While at least one couple on the show is confirmed local,
some residents of the Thorton Grove neighborhood near Maineville question the
legitimacy of the other couples and shooting location.
There’s speculation that a rental home outside Thorton Grove was used to shoot
the series after residents complained about associating the neighborhood with a
swinger capital. But honestly, if the worst thing about your neighborhood is
that people are having sex with each other, isn’t that something to brag about?
Marilyn Manson is all about
his pops these days. He took an unexpected but awesome role on Sons of Anarchy’s final season, saying
he took the role because he watched the show with his father, and now the two are in Paper Magazine.Cute!New show news:
True Detective Season Two is still without a premiere date, but stars Vince Vaughn,
Colin Farrell, Taylor Kitsch and Rachel McAdams have been at work shooting the
next installment. Go here
to read more about the season’s storyline — public transportation + murder + conspiracy
— the characters and directors — various directors will take over for Season
One’s Emmy winner Cary Fukanaga — and see photos from set. (Spoiler Alert only if you
want to go in to the show with zero background info on the story.)
The ladies of Litchfield
will be back for the binging when Orange Is
the New Black Season Three premieres June 12.
American Horror Story’s fifth season will apparently take a look at the
horrid world of hospitality because Lady Gaga revealed the next setting will be
a hotel. Gaga will reportedly star. AHS:
Hotel premieres in October and here’s some totally unconfirmed juice goose (translation:
juicy gossip)
posted on the AHS Reddit thread. I don’t know about Gaga taking the lead on this
— let alone starring in three seasons amidst her very successful music career —
but the general storyline sounds good to me! And the present-day setting with
flashbacks to different eras is in line with the show’s pattern (so far, odd
seasons have been set in modern day — Murder House, Coven — while even seasons
were period pieces — Asylum, Freak Show). I love the idea of peeking in on
various scandalous guests over the years — so many opportunities for killer
guest-stars!
Hannibal returns June 4 and
the first image is out. I’m getting Dr. Lecter-meets-SAMCRO vibes and I'm loving it.
Speaking of new shows,
check out this week’s TV column for a spring television preview. Winter might
finally be gone, Game of Thrones is coming!Zoolander 2 is officially happening, as evidenced by Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson
stomping the Valentino runway as Derek and Hansel during Paris Fashion Week.
Nothing says haute couture quite like Ben Stiller’s
old ass on a runway. And if you really want to roll your eyes to the
back of your skull and never to see the light of day again, get this: I looked on
IMDB for evidence that this sequel is really happening (yes, I fact-check the
gossip rags I read; yes, IMDB is a reputable fact-checking source) and found
that Stiller is also attached to Dodgeball
2 (predictable) and Space Jam 2
(da fuh?).
Ryan Gosling must be
craving some attention since that baby of his stole the spotlight, because
he shared some cute throwback dance videos that have everyone saying, “Hey girl,” again.
Ryan, if you think we
haven’t already seen all your talent show videos and Mickey Mouse Club clips,
you are seriously underestimating the stalkiness of your fans. Speaking of, why
is there no term for Gosling fans, a la Cumberbitches? Can I bring up “juice
goose” twice in one post?
But I digress. Here’s the
little man at work:
Vince Gilligan would like
everyone to stop throwing pizzas on Walter White’s house, please. The Breaking Bad creator says fans flock to
the real house used for exterior shots in the show, and the current owners are
cool with that, except when people creep up at night and recreate the famous pizza
scene.The Dress that captivated
the Internet is dead and buried and I’m not trying to resurrect it anytime
soon, but if you are curious about the science behind why one dress looks
completely different to different people, read here. And see how good you are at
differentiating colors here — you may have a fourth cone, which means you probably saw the blue and black dress for
what is was: a goddamned blue and black dress.
And here’s Earl Sinclair
singing “Hypnotize” because it’s Thursday and we all need this.
(Thanks, Amberly)

Actress will deliver LGBTQ History Month keynote address

Transgender advocate and actress Laverne Cox will give a keynote speech at Northern Kentucky University in celebration of LGBT History Month on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m.Many will recognize Cox for her groundbreaking role as Sophia Burset, an incarcerated transgender woman, in the Netflix com-dram series Orange Is the New Black.Earlier this year, she made history as the first transgender person to appear on the cover of Time Magazine and the first to produce and appear in her own television show, TRANSForm Me.Her success in the film and TV industry has made Cox a highly sought after speaker. Her empowering messages about gender expectations and transgender issues have made her an icon in the LGBT community, being named in Out Magazine’s “Out 100” and one of the top 50 transgender icons by Huffington Post.Tickets for the event have been selling quickly, as less than 10 remain available to the public. They can be purchased for $10 in Student Union Room 320 on the NKU campus.The event is sponsored by the university's LGBTQ Programs & Services, which provides advocacy and support to NKU students, staff, faculty and the greater Northern Kentucky community. More info here.

Jac's roundup of pop culture news and Internet findings

A role on a Law and Order episode is a rite of
passage for actors — it won’t necessarily guarantee success, but nearly every
major TV actor has done time in the Law
and Order franchise. I mean honestly, if you haven’t portrayed a bludgeoned
child prostitute, an over-affectionate music teacher or an undercover crack
dealer, I’m really not interested in the rest of your body of work.
Who doesn’t love
recognizing actors before they made it in old SVU reruns, or seeing more established actors guest-star on new
episodes? One minute it’s, “Hey, isn’t that bailiff the neighbor from Shameless?” Next thing you know, it’s 3
a.m. on a Tuesday and you’re in an IMDB black hole. We’ve all been there.
Thankfully for fans of Orange Is the New
Black that are obsessive TV watchers, someone has cross-referenced the
L&O archives to create this list of every Orange character’s appearances on everyone’s favorite
gavel-thumping series.
Fun Fact: OITNB star Taylor Schilling has never
appeared on L&O — and her IMDB page starts in 2007. Newbie!
Fun Fact No. 2: Taylor
Swift recently got a cat and named it Olivia Benson, so. It’s been a very Dick
Wolf week.
Since TV and food go
together like Benson and Stabler (never forget), Ben & Jerry’s is releasing
a line of Saturday Night Live-inspired
ice cream flavors.
Lazy Sunday — named after the Andy Samberg/Chris Parnell rap video that put the
SNL Digital Shorts on the map in 2005 — is not
flavored with Mr. Pibb and Red Vines (missed opportunity), but rather yellow
and chocolate cupcake pieces in vanilla cake batter ice cream with a chocolate
frosting swirl (I seriously gained four pounds typing that). Gilly’s
Catastrophic Crunch, a chocolate and sweet cream ice cream swirled with
marshmallow, fudge-covered almonds and caramel clusters for no apparent reason,
pays tribute to Kristen Wiig’s prankster schoolgirl character. Two additional SNL flavors will roll out later this
year.
Double Dare was a gem of a game show from Nickelodeon’s heyday. But stacked up
against today’s sophisticated offerings like American Ninja Warrior, the family-friendly DD
probably wouldn’t work in the new millennium.
At least we’ll always have Marc Summers and these faaaabulous pri-zes!
History will be divided
into two times: before there were selfies and when everyone just gave up on
life. If this is true, Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis will find themselves on
both sides of history, as they recently recreated their famous selfie
Polaroid self-portrait photograph from Thelma
and Louise.
Athletes are no strangers
to hecklers. Take a pastime that’s revered on a religious level for many fans,
then add alcohol — it’s not always going to be classy. During last week’s
rain-delayed Reds game against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, one spirited Pirates
fan took to heckling Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips. His taunts echoed in the near-empty
stadium, ringing loud and clear for an amused Phillips. The second baseman
responded by signing a ball for the heckler, thanking him for the support and
asking him to kindly “shut the phuck up,” and posing for a picture.
This will go down as the
friendliest interaction between a Cincinnati athlete and a Pittsburgh fan,
ever.
In news that makes us say,
“What, w-why?” Lifetime is making a TV movie about the making of Saved by the Bell. There’s already been
an E True Hollywood Story on SBTB (why yes I can confirm this, having
seen it multiple times – don’t judge me), so there really is no need for
another dramatized look at the ‘90s hit. The stars (aka “Who?” x 6 — see them
all here) look like Bratz Babyz versions of the originals, but they were selected by
original SBTB casting director Robin
Lippin, for whatever that’s worth. It’s going to be terrible. And I’m going to
watch it as soon as it premieres.

Jac's roundup of pop culture news and Internet findings

Orange Is the New Black is back and it’s better than I imagined. The Netflix
series centered on a women’s prison premiered its second season Friday and,
despite my earnest intentions to pace myself, I couldn’t help but get through
12 of the 13 episodes (Thanks a lot, autoplay). One of the
striking differences this season is the fact that this is no longer The Piper
Show. Yes, our blonde convict is still a major player, the thread throughout
the series. But as Piper becomes more acclimated to prison life, she begins to
share much more in common with her fellow prisoners, and we get a look into
those women’s backstories — in such a fulfilling way. If you weren’t already
invested in Red, Poussey, Morello and the other inmates, you will be after
learning the very different and often surprising reasons they ended up in
Litchfield. As for Piper, she’s hardened (perfectly if not cheesily represented
by her selection of a 40 over a bottle of champagne on a night out during her
furlough)— but not to the point where last season’s character is
unrecognizable. If anything, the shift makes her more likable. For now, I’m
holding off on the finale. I don’t want it to end!
Photographer Jeff Friesen has shot series of fun images using LEGOs for what’s
culminated in an upcoming book, The
United States of LEGO, available this September. In the series, each state
is depicted in a scene full of colorful bricks and plastic yellow people (See Ohio here). Another, titled “Bricksy,” uses the popular toy to recreate various Banksy
pieces.
Poet and thespian of our
generation James Franco basically recounted Lindsay Lohan’s pursuit of him for Vice’s Fiction Issue. This “work of
creative writing” that I’m just going to assume is completely
true claims LiLo shamelessly came after Franco while they were both staying at
Beverly Hills’ Chateau Marmont. In the end, she settled for a bedtime story
reading of A Perfect Day for a Bananafish.
I’m not sure which part
crushes my childhood memories the most: The fact that the Parent Trap ginge has
fully blossomed into a desperate trash monster; or that Daniel Desario is
actually a pseudo-intellectual douche/tattletale; or that I now have to burn my
entire Salinger collection.
Nicolas Cage may have done
his share of shitastic films in recent years, but you have to hand it to him:
dude has a sense of humor about himself. This fact was illustrated recently in
a photo of Cage, at a Guns N’ Roses concert with Andrew Dice Clay, dressed to
the nines in a T-shirt with his meme-face on it.
Anyone remember Clone High?
The MTV toon depicted a
high school for clones of historical figures throughout time, was weirdly
hilarious and, thus, was cancelled after one season in 2003. The creators, Phil
Lord and Chris Miller, have since put out a successful string of productions: 21 Jump Street (and its sequel, 22 Jump Street, in theaters tomorrow), Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and The LEGO Movie. They talked recently of
revisiting Clone High as either a
show or movie — read more here.
Lil' Kim welcomed a baby
girl this week, Lil' Lil' Kim. Sorry. But seriously, Blue Ivy, North West,
Jermajesty, all y’all epic-named babies watch out. Royal Reign is in the house.
In things that are making me feel feelings this week: the Dumb and Dumber To trailer.

Jenji Kohan’s dark comedic take on the
true story of Piper Kerman’s stint in a federal women’s prison was a
runaway hit on Netflix in its 2013 debut. Now Orange Is the New Black is back (full season on Netflix Friday) with another 13 funny, disturbing and thought-provoking episodes.

Jac's roundup of pop culture news and Internet findings

I’m a huge fan of
locally-produced commercials-gone-viral. Cincinnati’s Fick Chiropractic Centers
current ad might not be up there with Jamie Casino, but it does feature a killer beat that
deserves some attention.
Is anyone else just tickled
by the concept of a local doctor employing a beatmaker for a commercial? It totally
caught me off guard while watching Fox 19 Morning News (aka the Jacki Jing
Variety Hour — bitch has more devoted fans than Lady Gaga, just peep their
posts on her Facebook page.
Locals — including my boyfriend — are totally enamored by her beautiful glamour
shots, bubbly attitude and penchant for cosplay.
How are the rest of us supposed to compete, Jacki?!).
Are you sick of Beyoncé
yet? Trick question: If you answered “Yes,” please get out of here immediately.
NO ONE is sick of Beyoncé ever, in fact, parody videos
and choreographed routines to her songs
are still pouring out of the woodwork
four months after the release of her self-titled album. The latest tribute of
note comes from self-proclaimed “star on the rise” Chanel Carroll,
who’s serving up student loan realness in her take on “Partition” called
“Tuition.” ‘Cause we all just want live
that debt-free life.
Everything about this is
flawless,
from her JLo-circa-2000 vibe to the clip art to the cameo by Ashley from Sallie
Mae. I would crown her as winner of the Internet for the week, but she shares
the title with this dude who’s been reviewing
fast food and other grub from his car since 2012. Check out one of Daym Drops’
most popular videos, featuring Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
I want this guy to narrate
my life or at least read my eulogy because dude describes a plain drive-thru
burger with the eloquence of a poetic preacher. And of course there’s a musical remix. OH MY DAYUM!
Avril Lavigne continues her
assault on our earholes with the confusing, excruciating “Hello Kitty.”
The Canadian singer responsible for 80 percent of ties bought by young women in
2002 apparently has a massive Asian following, but the Japanime-style video is
more of a cringe-worthy misstep than cultural tribute. Hey white pop stars, stop using Asian women (or any women for that matter) as props!
Lily Allen, another 2000s
pop relic, is also coming out with new music and a record that automatically
gets my support by taking a dig at Kanye West. Sheezus drops next month; the album’s titular new single is a total
lady anthem with praise for the Lorde and rhymes about…periods. Whatever, I’m
digging it.
This week in movie remake
fuckery: A Mrs. Doubtfire sequel is
in the works, because nothing from your childhood is sacred!
Mara Wilson, who starred as the youngest child in the film (as well as Matilda
in the ‘90s Roald Dahl film adaptation) revealed on social media that she
wouldn’t be a part of it, as she’s been out of the acting game for several
years — which, according to over-each headlines, translated into Wilson
“slamming” the sequel, making the private former child actor a trending topic.
While we may never see a grown-up Natalie Hillard
or Matilda 2 (thank sheezus), you can
enjoy Wilson’s musings on her blog. And just because: Mrs. Doubtfire as a horror film.
Also, Goonies 2 is also officially a go. Thanks, Spielberg.
Hey, that’s not Pit Bull,
it’s Amy Poehler!
Orange Is The New Black is back on
Netflix for a second season June 6 and the new trailer is here. The whole gang’s back,
with a few additions, but the lingering question remains: Where is Pennsatucky?!
It was recently reported
that Laura Prepon signed on for Season Three as rumors circulate about her
being the future ex-wife of Tom Cruise. This is what I like to call Scientology
Sads: When you think you like someone — a famous person, obviously, because the
group might as well be called Celebentology — but it turns out they’re a
Scientologist. Such a shame.

Jac's roundup of pop culture news and Internet findings

With two episodes of Breaking Bad left, everyone’s gone a
little Walter White crazy — you’d think actual meth fumes were being released
from our televisions. Jimmy Fallon & Co. have had a Breaking
Bad spoof in the works for a while now, teasing fans all the while with
photos and hashtags like #JokingBad.
The nearly 13-minute sketch is a hilarious Late Night take on Bad,
starring Fallon as Walt and (Steve) Higgins as Jesse and complete with all the references
you’d expect, plus some cameos you wouldn’t. Bask in the glory that is “Joking
Bad!” (Mild spoliers from seasons 1-4, if you’re being picky.)
And while we’re at it, check out
Drakeing Bad — a blog of illustrations by Barry Schwartz and Shea Serrano (who
brought the world Bun B's Rap Coloring and Activity Book)
featuring iconic Breaking Bad scenes…with
rapper/former Degrassi High student Drake randomly inserted, replacing various
characters. Again, sort-of spoilers abound, so anyone who intends to watch Bad but isn’t caught up should proceed
with caution (if at all). And may god have mercy on your soul.
Saturday Night Live returns to NBC
for its 39th season Sept. 28 (Tina Fey will host; Arcade Fire is the
musical guest) and with the new season comes lots of changes. We already know Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis and Bill Hader will no longer be gracing
the SNL stage with their presence this year, and now newcomer Tim Robinson has been banished to the writers’ lair (JK, maybe it's really cool there). The rest of 2012-2013’s
cast, including soon-to-be Late Night
host Seth Meyers, is sticking around.
New people: Fresh featured players
will include Beck Bennett (that suited dude in the AT&T commercials
who spends far too much time in children’s
classrooms), Kyle Mooney (he and Bennett are in comedy group Good Neighbor), Upright Citizens Brigade member and Cracked contributor Noel Wells (the only new female to join the
cast), SNL writer Mike O'Brien, Comedy
Central’s comic to watch Brooks Wheelan and John Milhiser, another UCB-er.
Changes:
Meyers will retain his Weekend Update duties until he takes over Late Night in February and, possibly,
throughout the full season. Last year’s featured player Cecily Strong will join
him at the desk and take over Weekend Update when Meyers eventually leaves.
Strong was probably best remembered for her character, Girl You Wish You Hadn’t
Started a Conversation With at a Party (which I still think is kind of meh) and
a pretty accurate interpretation of a porn star-turned-home shopping model.
We’ll see how she transitions into this much larger role!
Confession time! I’m kind of seriously into Insane Clown Posse Theater on Fuse. I
turned it on as a joke once, but now I actually find it pretty hilarious. (Note:
If anyone sees me rocking JNCOs and cornrows while drinking Faygo, send help!) It’s
basically Mystery Science Theater 3000 but with ICP’s Violent J and Shaggy 2
Dope unleashing their offensive insights on an array of music videos.
They also bring on
guests like Tom Green, Coolio and comedian Jim Norton, talk with them for a
little bit, react to more videos and then awkwardly tell them to leave. I never
would have guessed ICP could be so entertaining and —dare I say — likable! I
mean, I’d think they would just objectify video vixens, which they certainly
do, but there’s an equal amount of homo-erotic comments I’d never expect. And their constant
inaccurate facts that have to be corrected onscreen get me laughing every time.
At the very least, add this to your “drinking show” watch list, because that is
a perfectly acceptable pastime as well as a good way to categorize TV shows,
OK? Catch ICP Theater at 11 p.m.
Wednesdays on Fuse.
Taystee from Orange
Is the New Black (Government name: Danielle Brooks) is gonna be a Girl,
the series’ first black female character.
Every mother and girlfriend’s worst nightmare was was released Tuesday
as Grand Theft Auto V. The game
allows players to wreak havoc on the streets of San Andreas, get high and drunk
and even check out a strip club where dancers in private rooms give a topless
show (digital boobs!). So yes, the infamous game has and will continue to spark
controversy and backlash over the amount of violence and overall incorrigible
behavior, but anyone with half a brain cell who watches or plays the game can
see it is rife with satire, almost making fun of the culture it represents. The
visuals, attention to detail and amazing pop culture and allegorical Easter
eggs woven in the game are nothing short of astounding. Get your character this Drive-esque jacket and crush skulls in style!How often do you think, “Good job, fast food restaurant,” or “Smart
advertising, national chain eatery!”? Probably never, and that’s why Chipotle’s
new promo, The Scarecrow, is getting so much attention. The
fast-casual Mexican chain has cut ties with McDonald’s (its former majority
partner) and plans to be the first U.S. restaurant chain to go GMO-free. Now,
with this haunting anti-factory farm ad (with a little help from Fiona Apple on
vocals), Chipotle is taking its “Food With Integrity” motto even further.